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The State of Homelessness in America 2016

The State of Homelessness in America 2016

On a single night in January 2015, 564,708 people were experiencing homelessness — meaning they were sleeping outside or in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program.

In total, 33 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) reported decreases in overall homelessness, while 16 states reported increases. The states with decreases in homelessness were concentrated in the South and Midwest.

Despite a national decrease in unsheltered homelessness, only 18 states reported decreases in the number of people living in unsheltered locations, including the street, cars, and abandoned buildings. The national decrease in unsheltered homelessness was driven in large part by decreases in unsheltered homelessness in Florida, Texas, and Georgia.

The national rate of homelessness in 2015 fell to 17.7 homeless people per 10,000 people in the general population from 18.3 in 2014. The rates in individual states ranged from 111 in D.C. to 7 in Mississippi.

The rate of veteran homelessness continued its descent of the past several years to 24.8 homeless veterans per 10,000 veterans in the general population. The rates in individual states ranged from 145 in D.C. to 9 in Virginia.

The majority of states had decreases in every major subpopulation: family homelessness (33 states and D.C.), chronically homeless individuals (31 states and D.C.), and veteran homelessness (33 states).

The map below shows the percent change in the total homeless population and various subpopulations by state from January 2014 to January 2015.

http://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/SOH2016

Overlooked in the elections, Portland’s homeless are organising their own camps on their own terms, but fear evictions.

FAST FACTS: HOMELESSNESS IN PORTLAND

There are at least 4.000 homeless people sleeping on the streets of Portland on any given night

But the true number could be much higher as the city only records the homeless on one night of the year

Between 2014 and 2015, Oregon witnessed an 8.7 percent growth in homelessness